No more helo hoist

[BACONATOR]

Damn, sucks for you guys!

I got to do both 2 years ago.

I can totally see why they did away with both. helo-hoist was a VERY quick evolution and probably pretty expensive to have a helo fly out 30 minutes from mobile to pick up and drop tens of students 5 ft in the air and back down.

Redneck parasailing is a GREAT practice for the PLF, however, 50% of the studs will end up Helo and never wear a chute, plus the evolution COUNTS on your doing the PLF correctly, as doing it incorrectly will either:

A) put your knee in your face and break said face or
B) snap any individual part of your leg(s)

Not that I did it incorrectly or anything...

 

[Renegade One]

Python1287, you think you're ENTITLED to a helo hoist?!?

Have you ever spent time in an infantry unit, son? Ever served in a forward area? Ever put your life in another man's hands, ask him to put his life in yours?

We follow orders, son. We follow orders or people die. It's that simple.

You want a helo hoist? Son, we live in a world that has DVs. And those DVs have to be flown around by men with helos. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Ottowrote8? Helo pilots have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for losing the helo hoist and you curse the powers that be. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that the loss of the helo hoist, while tragic, probably saved lives. And the existence of logistic movement of DVs, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives...

You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want the helos doing something like moving the Admiral around. You NEED them moving the Admiral around! We use words like life-cycle fatigue, fuel costs, availability...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent in starboard delta. You use 'em as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very helo coverage I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you ask for helos and fly the friggin' helo hoist mission. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to!
:icon_smil

 

[phrogpilot73]

[...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent in starboard delta.

I got offended for a little bit, then I realized you were talking about NAVY helo pilots

 

[C420sailor]

Dude, the helo hoist has been gone for a long time now....but I guess they at least confirmed that its gone, rather than the perpetual "xxx shaft on the helo broke and it is down for mx" story they fed us

We did it back in May...

 

[desertoasis]

Python1287, you think you're ENTITLED to a helo hoist?!?

Have you ever spent time in an infantry unit, son? Ever served in a forward area? Ever put your life in another man's hands, ask him to put his life in yours?

We follow orders, son. We follow orders or people die. It's that simple.

You want a helo hoist? Son, we live in a world that has DVs. And those DVs have to be flown around by men with helos. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Ottowrote8? Helo pilots have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for losing the helo hoist and you curse the powers that be. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that the loss of the helo hoist, while tragic, probably saved lives. And the existence of logistic movement of DVs, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives...

You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want the helos doing something like moving the Admiral around. You NEED them moving the Admiral around! We use words like life-cycle fatigue, fuel costs, availability...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent in starboard delta. You use 'em as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very helo coverage I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you ask for helos and fly the friggin' helo hoist mission. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to!
:icon_smil

That was pure genius. I mean really...glorious.

 

[Hozer]

My understanding is that CNATRA has been footing the bill for this alone while serving AF folks too.
I, too, did SAR jumps 21 years ago here in the bay and miss having a SAR det here. Many things don't make sense these days. Like not having a Navy Helo det here 24/7 in a CNATRA hub, but the budget just doesn't allow for it. That and we haven't (thankfully) had a overwater survival SAR scenario for a long time. Doesn't make it right, but dollars are very tight.
Sound like a hinge? Maybe.

Just the reality of the times. See you at the club.

Hoze

 

[PropAddict]

I did both 2 years ago and, while they were both cool, with $50 and a little initiative, you can find much more interesting evolutions on your own.

I suspect the demise of Redneck Parasailing also means the demise of falling into the rock pit to practice, which is probably a good thing.

 

[jollygreen07]

Coasties? It wasn't being done by the SAR Det/HSU?

It was a Dauphin when I went through. Outta Mobile if I recall correctly. Come to think of it, We were told that they were using the Coasties while the H-3/H-60 transition was taking place.

Speaking of the perils of redneck parasailing... I very nearly broke my knee during that evolution. I guess it would have been good training for the T-34 but if I'm trying to jump out of an E-6, i'm having a baaaad day.

 

[Python]

I did both 2 years ago and, while they were both cool, with $50 and a little initiative, you can find much more interesting evolutions on your own.

I suspect the demise of Redneck Parasailing also means the demise of falling into the rock pit to practice, which is probably a good thing.

The rock pit is alive and well.

 

[usmarinemike]

My understanding is that CNATRA has been footing the bill for this alone while serving AF folks too.
I, too, did SAR jumps 21 years ago here in the bay and miss having a SAR det here. Many things don't make sense these days. Like not having a Navy Helo det here 24/7 in a CNATRA hub, but the budget just doesn't allow for it. That and we haven't (thankfully) had a overwater survival SAR scenario for a long time. Doesn't make it right, but dollars are very tight.
Sound like a hinge? Maybe.

Just the reality of the times. See you at the club.

Hoze

If I remember correctly, you were the one who had the SAR H-3 land on you. Thank God they do float.

And affirm, rockpit and harness drag are still alive; along with the really easy VR chute malfunction trainer.

 

[Pags]

It was a Dauphin when I went through.

Just thought it might have been a case of bad helo recce. orange and white helo? Must be the puddle pirates...

 

[MIDNJAC]

Speaking of the perils of redneck parasailing... I very nearly broke my knee during that evolution. I guess it would have been good training for the T-34 but if I'm trying to jump out of an E-6, i'm having a baaaad day.

If I'm not mistaken, it would be an even worse day if you didn't have a parachute after punching out of your T-6

 

[xj220]

I was fortunate to do both and they were a lot of fun. Hit my head a little hard on the second go at Redneck Parasailing so that wasn't that cool. I did get hoisted up all the way on the helo, hopefully that's the last time I ever have to do it though.

 

[vmid009]

I'm stashed up in pax river right now. word on the street is they shut down pcola SAR and transferred at least one of their birds up here. Not sure if that affects anything if they weren't even doing the hoists anyway.

 

[C420sailor]

Not sure if that affects anything if they weren't even doing the hoists anyway.

It doesn't affect anything---until you and your IP are out in the Gulf trying out your new floaties. Then it kinda sucks...?